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Paris Martineau

Staff Writer

Paris Martineau is a staff writer at WIRED, where she covers platforms, online influence, and social media manipulation. Before WIRED, she was a staff writer at The Outline and wrote about the internet for NYMag. Send her tips at pm@wired.com or reach out securely via parismartineau@protonmail.com.

Which States Are Reopening, Which Remain on Lockdown, and Why

There's not a national plan to restart US businesses. That's led to inconsistencies among governors' orders, and some confusion among residents.

Ad Dollars Keep Flowing Into Google and Facebook—for Now

The two online ad giants say business fell sharply amid the Covid-19 lockdowns in March but has stabilized in April. 

Georgia's Governor Lets Businesses Reopen. Some Say No Thanks

Concerned about the health of employees and customers, owners of businesses permitted to reopen Friday are staying closed.

Venture-Backed Startups Debate the Ethics of Taking US Loans

Some investors are urging their portfolio companies to leave government assistance for restaurants and hairdressers.

iPads Are Crucial Health Care Tools in Combating Covid-19

Hospitals are deploying tablets and smartphones to protect staff, preserve protective equipment, and help patients connect with loved ones.

Why Some States Are Resisting Social Distancing Measures

Governors of a half-dozen states worry about the economic fallout of forcing businesses to close and say there's no clear guidance from Washington.

Record Jobless Claims Are Overwhelming States’ Aging Tech

Laid-off workers struggle to file claims for unemployment benefits; economists say the situation will likely get worse.

What's a ‘Shelter in Place’ Order, and Who’s Affected?

The spreading coronavirus prompts public officials in several states and cities to order residents to stay inside, except for “essential” business.

A Beach Town Wrestles With Cutting Its Economic Lifeline

Health officials want to close beaches crowded with spring breakers to slow the spread of coronavirus. Local businesses fear the financial impact.

Coronavirus Disrupts Social Media’s First Line of Defense

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube all announced this week that thousands of content moderators are being sent home—leaving more of our feeds in the hands of machines.

The ‘Surreal’ Frenzy Inside the US’ Biggest Mask Maker

Prestige Ameritech typically makes 250,000 masks a day. Now it's manufacturing 1 million daily, and turning away orders for 100 million more. 

NYC’s Crackdown on Illegal Airbnb Empires Has a New Target

In a subpoena filed Monday, city officials say startup Guesty has facilitated the expansion of short-term rental empires that violate local rules.

Iowa Misinformation Spreads Online, Despite New Policies

In the wake of 2016, Facebook and Twitter said they'd ban inaccuracies about elections and voting. That didn't stop lies and distortions on Monday.

YouTube Will Police Political Videos More Closely

The social media site says it will remove manipulated videos and content that promotes conspiracy theories, marking a contrast with Facebook.

Elections Are Under Threat. Here's How to Protect Them

A new report calls for safeguards to reduce the dangers posed by misinformation, online extremism, and social media manipulation.

Jack Dorsey Says You Really Won't Get an Edit Tweet Button

“When you send a text, you can’t really take it back,” the Twitter CEO says. “We wanted to preserve that vibe and that feeling in the early days.”

Putting a Price on Harry and Meghan’s #Influence

What if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex became influencers? First, they probably aren’t. But even if they did, experts say calculating their value is complicated.

Internet Deception Is Here to Stay—So What Do We Do Now?

Fake followers. Fake news. Foreign influence operations. The last decade revealed that much of what's online is not as it seems.

Everything and Nothing Is a Tech Company Now

Money and mania fueled a mad scramble for firms to claim the coveted t-word this decade.

Facebook Removes Accounts With AI-Generated Profile Photos

Researchers said it appears to be the first use of artificial intelligence to support an inauthentic social media campaign.